Pope Francis, on Friday, blessed the world and prayed for an end to the coronavirus pandemic in a speech delivered from an empty Saint. Peter’s Square.
The ceremony, which lasted about an hour, included a reading from the Gospel, a sermon, and a benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. Francis’s blessing, the Urbi et Orbi, is a speech that is typically only delivered on Christmas and Easter.
“God’s blessing come down upon you as a consoling embrace,” Francis said. “Lord, bless the world. Give health to our bodies and comfort our hearts.”
Speaking through the rain, Francis delivered a sermon in which he encouraged Christians not to be afraid and to trust in God’s mercy. He said that the death and widespread lockdowns due to the pandemic should remind Christians of God’s “call to faith” that he believes much of the world has forgotten.
“We were not shaken awake by wars or injustice across the world, nor did we listen to the cry of the poor nor of our gravely ailing planet,” Francis said. “We carried on regardless, thinking that we would stay healthy in a world that was sick.”
Behind him hung a crucifix removed from the church of San Marcello al Corso, believed to have cured Rome from a plague in 1522. The pope prayed before the crucifix last week and asked for worldwide healing after walking through the near-empty streets of Rome.
On Wednesday, Francis invited all Christians to join him in praying the Lord’s Prayer at the same time. The week before, Francis asked Catholics to join him in praying the rosary.
As the coronavirus engulfs Italy, Francis has often spoken about how Christians should respond. In early March, he encouraged priests to minister to people suffering from the coronavirus. He also reversed a decision that had completely closed all of the churches in Rome. At the same time, Francis has taken precautions to protect his own health, celebrating masses in private and livestreaming his announcements.
The Vatican confirmed on Friday that Holy Week celebrations will be held in private.
Italy has seen some of the worst coronavirus outbreaks, with more than 80,000 confirmed cases and more than 9,000 deaths. On Friday, the country had the highest death toll of any country in a 24-hour period, with at least 919 dead.
